Water drains are usually clogged by a blockage of foreign matter in the trap area of the drain system. If this blockage is broken up into smaller pieces or forced through the trap, the system will again function properly. Various methods can be used to break up the blockage into smaller particles or to force it through the trap. Examples of such methods include chemical reactions with the foreign matter and force exerted on the foreign matter. One of the methods of applying force to the foreign matter is the usage of water that is usually contained in the drainage system above the clogged area. Since the water is incompressible, any pressure applied above its surface will be directly transmitted to the foreign matter. A conventional method of applying pressure to the surface of the water is the use of a force cup plunger. The force cup plunger has a resilient plunger ring fixed to a substantially elongated handle. In operation, the plunger is positioned on the opening of the clogged drain. The user then pushes down and pulls up the plunger thereby alternatively exerting a downward pressure and a siphon on the water inside the clogged drain. Water being incompressible, the pressure and siphoning effect are transmitted to the clogging matter inside the drain, thus forcing the clogging matter inside the drain and releasing the latter. Because of the relatively small size of conventional plunger rings, the force cup plunger only displaces a small volume of water, thus exerting a limited pressure on the clogging matter. Another type of device conventionally used is the so-called piston-type pump. Piston-type pumps have been inherently complex and require complex piston seals. In operation, the piston-type pump is positioned on the opening of the clogged drain. The pump either uses water that is usually contained in the drainage system above the clogged area or, through an adapter, is hydraulically linked to a source of water under pressure, such as the conventional household water line. The piston inside the pump is reciprocated up and down along the cylindrical body, exerting a pressure and a siphoning effect on water present in the pump, thus releasing the clogging matter inside the clogged drain.
A search amongst prior art has revealed a number of patents disclosing devices either of the piston-type pump or of a type using an adapter for hydraulically linking a source of water under pressure, such as the conventional household water line, to an outlet nozzle which is positioned inside the drain to be unclogged. Examples of such patents are Canadian Patent No. 299,247 granted on Apr. 15, 1929 to Krieger, U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,280 granted on Jan. 27, 1976 to Tancredi, U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,597 granted on Jun. 27, 1978 to Duse and U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,451 granted on Feb. 5, 1980 to Ruo.
Canadian Patent No. 299,247 granted on Apr. 15, 1929 to Krieger discloses a pump for unclogging pipes. The pump comprises a cylinder, a plunger rod with an integral handle at one end and the other end threaded to receive nuts retaining a set of leather disc forming a piston for reciprocating within the cylinder. The bottom end of the cylinder is adapted to receive a flexible pipe such as a hose hydraulically linked to a domestic water line. The use of a water supply such as the domestic water line is essential to the operation of the pump, the water being the main source of pressure on the clogging matter. The handle linked to the piston is then reciprocated up and down in order to increase the pressure exerted on the clogging matter. This invention is adapted to function with running water and does not suitably function in the absence of an independent source of water.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,280 granted on Jan. 27, 1976 to Tancredi is concerned with a drain-flushing device comprising a cylinder closed at its upper end with a piston shaft support, a piston shaft passing there through with its top end connected to a handle and the bottom end connected to a piston. In operation, the user siphons up water which is inside the clogged drain by pulling up the handle and then applies a downward push on the handle, exerting a pressure on the water inside the cylinder and on the clogging matter. In the absence or insufficiency of water into the drain, the invention will not function properly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,597 granted on Jun. 27, 1978 to Duse provides a drain opening device comprising telescoping cylinders sealed by a flexible plastic membrane. The bottom end of the bottom cylinder is covered with a pressure activated valve. The telescoped cylinders can be filled with water through the pressure activated valve. To unclog a drain, the top cylinder is pushed downwardly, thereby telescopingly overriding the bottom cylinder. The water inside the cylinder is thus forced through the pressure activated valve in the form of a high speed water jet. The invention has to be inverted and filled with water, which can prove unergonomical. Furthermore, the device is limited to a predetermined volume of liquid which can prove to be insufficient if the clogging matter is located at a distance from the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,451 granted on Feb. 5, 1980 to Ruo provides a sanitary pump comprising a cylinder, an elastic disc attached to the bottom of the cylinder, a piston, a piston rod, a cap covering the top of the cylinder and a handle connected to the upper end of the piston rod. In operation, the invention is placed and held on the opening of the clogged drain, the handle is pulled up and pushed down several times, thereby siphoning up and pushing down drain water thus exerting pressure on the clogging matter. Situations sometimes occur when not enough water is present in the clogged drain, or is present but not accessible, to fill the cylinder of this invention. The operation of the latter is thus complicated.
The present invention proposes a device adapted to circumvent the above-mentioned disadvantages.